MYSURU: As internal tussle in Congress is likely to pose a threat to the coalition government, the Janata Dal (Secular) wants the Congress high command to intervene quickly to defuse the crisis.
JD (S) supremo HD Deve Gowda and Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy are said to be closely tracking developments within the Congress and the BJP.
Although Kumaraswamy claimed that he his not worried over the BJP’s strategy and hinted that he has a counter strategy to derail BJP’s plan, the CM stayed indoors on Wednesday working out a strategy and ensuring that the crisis ends quickly so that the BJP will not take advantage of it to destabilize the government.
The coalition government that completed a hundred days, wanted to take credit for waiver off farm loans, reaching out to the farming community, but could not do that as current crisis spoiled their party. Some in the party, point fingers at former CM Siddaramaiah as the crisis started after he left for foreign tour.
Sources said former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda is watching the developments is likely to take the issue with Congress high command to defuse the tension to bail out the government from the present crisis. JD(S) leaders, however, are miffed with the Congress leaders in the state for failing to resolve it and allowing it to snowball into a bigger crisis.
Chief Minister Kumaraswamy said that it is the Congress leaders who should look into the present confusion. “We are just watching the development and I am also in touch with Jarkiholi brother,” he added.
State JD (S) president A H Vishwanath said that this development would only further damage the image of the Congress. He felt that the high command should have intervened to put their house in order then allowing them to indulge in mud - simmering.
Maintaining that no one from JD(S) would cross over to BJP, he said that the Congress should keep its MLAs together to send a strong message that there is no threat to the coalition government.
Meanwhile, Tourism Minister Sa Ra Mahesh claimed that he too was in touch with 20 BJP MLAs. “We are in power for past four months. Few in BJP want to come back to power are attempting to destabilize the coalition government and we will prove JD(S) leaders strength if the BJP continued its attempts to destabilize the government,” he warned.
Changes in state politics within three months: Seer
HASSAN: Shivananda Shivayogi Rajendra Swami of Kodimutt, Arsikere, on Wednesday predicted hectic changes in state politics within three months.
The seer who is known for his predictions said another siblings on the lines of Jarkiholi brothers will trouble the coalition government and they may play a key role.
He said natural calamities will continue and the country will witness more casualties in future.
Ballari politicians’ inclusion in cabinet doing rounds
BALLARI: Ballari seems to be assuming the centre stage in state politics again with each MLA from Congress hoping to become a minister. The appointment of D K Shivakumar as district minister has left many people, including those in Congress unhappy.
The unhappier ones are party MLAs in the district, where each one of them is vying for a portfolio in the next cabinet expansion, thus bringing Ballari back into state’s political arena.